Childish Tendencies
by ModestDragon
Summary: Eddie had always been slightly anxious around children. It was a complicated feeling with a story of its own behind it. He just did his best to avoid them when he could. Now, he literally had a bad tendency of danger lurking inside him, and he dreaded any kids within sight. Too bad Venom and children often had identical tastes: like Benny's Ice Cream Cone'anza.


_A/N:_ Waddup y'all. I rented Venom for the first time the other day after missing it in the theaters, and I'm happy to say I enjoyed it a lot! Honestly, however, it left me very unsatisfied on many fronts. It's a flawed movie, I think most people can agree. I've never really dived into the Venomverse or anything having to do with Venom aside from the Spider-man movies, and some video games he cameos in. I've always loved his design and found the dynamic of Eddie and Venom very interesting though. A gooey bad-natured body-snatcher joined up with a active journalist, becoming a complicated anti-hero? Sweet! Cool movie, but I was upset that they really didn't explore the characters to a justified extent in the film (the pacing was pretty awful sometimes too), and I was only left wishing for more of just them and how they interact, then the movie would have been fantastic to me. For the past three days, it's left me obsessed with scenarios I've painted in my head when I put Eddie and Venom together and see how I'd imagine them acting it out. I really haven't read any of the comics so I don't have anything to go off of other than the movie and some other fanfics I've read, but that's the funnest part to me! I like the creative room it brought me writing this. Sorry if I betray any lore with the way I have them characterized. This was purely self-indulgent and I needed to get something out so I can focus on other things. I hope you enjoy.

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Eddie had always been slightly anxious around children. It was a complicated feeling with a story of its own behind it. He just did his best to avoid them when he could. Now, he literally had a bad tendency lurking inside him, and he dreaded any kids within sight. Too bad Venom and children often had identical tastes: like _Benny's Ice Cream Cone'anza_.

Eddie walked down the busy, sunny street of downtown San Francisco- his home. He knew these streets better than most people that lived here their whole lives, and it had been only three years ago now that he himself was forced to change setting to this place. It wasn't alien to him though, and that's why he chose San Francisco moving from New York. The envirnoment was chaos to most- the fast paced cutthroat surroundings of the urban jungle- but this man relished in it. The bustle of society kept him alert and driven, and he couldn't stand the thought of settling down in a suburbia. People were his job in a way, being a journalist. He always felt motivated to stay up to speed with his society and feel the energy of human life, be _among_ them. He also liked to come out on top. He often didn't, but the city is the type of place to be the best at what you are good at, especially journalism. The city was his favorite place, always had been.

Eddie had really taken to San Fran since he got here, and gotten to know it very well due to unique circumstances. Mr. Brock had particularly busy life-style, he would describe, but he was also pretty busy by night too. His way of life demanded outdoors and fresh air often. He'd use his job as the excuse every time someone asked how became so aware so fast in a new city, and although he was a successful and active journalist, that wasn't the whole truth. Indeed, by day, he was making calls and travelling and meeting people constantly. He rarely got a whole sun cycle to himself.

But by night, he was sometimes eating people. On the hunt. Only the bad people though (and it wasn't _really_ him), he assured. That was his unique circumstance, among others. He knew the streets east to west, top to bottom as a result.

He turned every other corner and winded in and out of people and throughout cars as if on auto-pilot. He walked absentmindedly, his focus on the phone on his ear, letting what could be called his _true instinct_ guide him the way he needed to be going, and he was. He was filling in his assisstant on his spontaneous plan of today.

"He just called me up this morning!" he said with unmasked giddiness, "I already have plenty of questions for him, have for a long time. I've been a fan of his work and this more self-indulgent than anything. And we-"

He cleared his throat and corrected, "I am on my way to his studio right now. They are allowing me to use their equipment to record our conversation so I can publish it myself! It's great!"

His assisstant replied, "Alright, stop gushing Mr. Big Time. You landed quite the OP, you must feel pretty good. Good job Brock. Anything else you need to tell me or am I your only friend you can share this exciting news with?"

His stomach quivered. It was a giggle.

"Just wanted to tell you what the plan was today. Sorry if i interruptted Hello Kitty Nail time or whatever." Then Eddie added, "That you are getting paid for!"

His assisstant feigned a dramatic gasp, "How _dare_ you assume Eddie! That's on Sundays you dick!" then she genuinely added, "Have fun."

Suddenly Eddie heard a sound from the outside world that snapped him back to the present. It sounded like a kid shrieking excitedly. Curious, he glanced back towards the sound to confirm.

It indeed was. Once the quick realization hit him of _why_ , he quickly faced back forward, unconsciously picking up his pace like his fleet instinct kicked in. Eddie wasn't aware of what street they were until he looked back. Now he couldn't believe how his instincts betrayed him. Or maybe it wasn't his instincts leading him all long!

"Right. Bye." he quickly said to his phone, hanging up.

 _All children scream for..._

 **ICE CREAM.** Venom happily yipped, the excitement of the symbiote so intense that the roar almost thundered through Eddie's skull. The human cringed and continued walking.

 **SO CREAMY AND RICH.** Venom said it with his equilvalent of a borderline _moan,_ **AND THEY HAVE TRIPLE BROWNIE DELUXE. LET'S GET SOME EDDIE.**

Eddie cringed even harder and began to quietly panic. He replied out loud without shame. Eddie now had a bluetooth microphone in his ear that gave the illusion that he was just on a call, and would talk to Venom everywhere they went. "No, V, we can't. We don't have time."

 **WHAT? THAT'S A LIE. WE HAVE TIME, EDDIE. TURN AROUND.**

He knew Venom was right. Lying to him was useless, yet he succumbed to knee-jerk reactions and still attempted to sometimes, like the alien couldn't simply probe his brain for the answer.

"We can go to candy store on the way home and get whatever you want." Eddie actually felt the sting of disappointment in his partner.

 **BUT THAT IS LATER AND ICE CREAM IS NOW- THERE. WE LOVE ICE CREAM.** Eddie felt the sensation of a suggestive tug in the direction of the ice cream shop. **WE HAVE STUPID MONEY AND TIME. WE WOULD LOVE ICE CREAM.**

Eddie was red-faced and unwavered. He really didn't want to go. The silence stretched on for a few seconds down the road as he kept walking.

 **EDDIE!** Venom roared in his head.

"No!" he roared back.

Then, he wasn't moving at all. Eddie blinked, and his feet were suddenly seized from him and planted firmly below him. He gained control again promptly but found his feet stuck to the ground. He was basically fused to the concrete of the downtown sidewalk, under the shade of a tree. Some people gave him curious looks until everyone was mindlessly moving around him.

 **YOU'RE BEING MEAN.** He heard the deep, grotesque voice state plainly.

Eddie couldn't help but grit his teeth at this at the petulance. Venom had no discipline when it came to sweets, and it was tiresome. How did he end up taking this route? He always avoided it. "You're walking on mighty thin ice, buddy. You promised me you would behave."

Venom retorted angrily, **AND WE WILL. WE WANT ICE CREAM AND YOU ARE BEING UNFAIR.**

"You led me here, didn't you?"

 **SO WHAT? I KNEW YOU WOULD STILL GET THERE EARLY. IT'S ON THE WAY AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE.**

Eddie felt his partner rumble in his gut with a sort of desperation.

He asked in a less abrasive voice. **WE WOULD LOVE SOME ICE CREAM EDDIE. IT'S FAIR AND YOU KNOW IT.**

He didn't know what to say. Eventually Venom purred once more.

 **WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF, EDDIE?**

Eddie started, surprised by the question. Venom had seemed to relent on taking initiative on Eddie's thought lately. He often asked how Eddie felt, even though he didn't really need to. The invading symbiote had become gracious like that as they spent their lives together. Yet, he was caught off guard.

Finally accepting what he knew to be his fate, he admitted the truth to his needy friend.

"There's kids." he said weakly.

A giggle. **LOSER. YOU'RE AFRAID OF WEAK KIDS.**

"That's not what I meant." Eddie found no humor in the situation.

 **SO?** he pressed.

Eddie said nothing.

 **THEN YOU'RE AFRAID OF MY CURIOSITY TOWARDS CHILDREN?**

Venom had obviously just taken to dipping into his head a bit to get the answer. He flushed, frustrated at that, even though he probably couldn't find the words to say what he felt anyway.

He didn't know what Venom's perspective was on the young, except that the noises they made often irritated the symbiote. That's as far as it went. Eddie realized they'd never really had a conversation on the concept of kid's in general. Once again, Eddie was speachless.

This was a new subject between them. Eddie's heart began to race from the confrontion of the conversation he knew was about to ensue. He felt deeply about this matter, and it scared frightened to know what Venom would think about it. They needed to come to an agreement. Panic washed over him in a tide he couldn't hold back. Flashes of innocent blood splattered through his mind's eye.

As quickly as the second anxious drum of his heart hammered through him, there was a sensation there. It felt like his chest was being softly squeezed, nuzzled almost. Eddie was sure his heartrate was already retreating at the touch. It was one of Venom's calming gestures to Eddie, he had learned soon after their fight with Riot. **DON'T GET WORKED UP, EDDIE. WE DO NOT WANT THAT RIGHT NOW. WE ASSURE YOU WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN CHILDREN, ONLY ICE CREAM. AND WE WOULD NEVER HARM THEM.**

There it was. Issues between them didn't last long if they weren't brought up immediately. Venom hit the nail on the head almost every fight, unafraid of the consequences of saying outright. It was close to overwhelming sometimes for Eddie, since this wasn't really a natural thing with his kind. Typically, within the boundaries of human relationships, people tentatively prodded and danced around subjects until it was the right time to bring it up. There was also circumstances, but this was natural. With Venom, literally everything was out on the table before them.

It more than not got them into shouting matches over disagreements, but things could always be disputed and understood promptly. There was true transperancy between them, for better or for worse. Eddie couldn't disagree with the method though. They were a great team. They always worked out an issue. Breaking less property and things in the process as they grew to understand each other.

The human was quickly very relieved to hear that. He felt the genuine tone under the deep growl. Thankfully, his anxiety dissipated very quickly. Right now was not the time to be upset when he had an important interview to attend to. Still, he was confused. "...Morals aren't usually your thing, V." he said.

Venom hissed sweetly, one tentacle caressing his shoulder. **IT IS MY PERSONAL OPINION THAT MORALS ARE MOSTLY A WASTE OF TIME FOR US. WE ARE ONE, EDDIE. YOUR INTERESTS ARE OUR INTERESTS. I FEEL HOW DEEPLY IT WOULD UPSET YOU. IT IS BEST WE LEAVE IT AT THAT.**

Comfort wasn't one of Venom's strongsuits. There was trepidation at the thought of not wholly understanding what the alien's personal interests were. However, he knew Venom would listen to Brock when he needed to, and it was best that they leave it at that. They'd sacrificed much for each other, and required no convincing.

Eddie still felt the need to elaborate and erect a foundation on this. He stood there calmly, stuck to his place. "You will behave when we go in there," he demanded, "This is a delicate place and we cannot draw attention. Remember what we spoke about: patience." That was something the alien would never truly understand, but he drilled it in anyway.

There was a wiggle of excitement in his chest. Eddie didn't hide the smile it brought him.

 **WE ALREADY PROMISED EDDIE. LET'S GO QUICKLY.**

"I may not be very fond of kids, but they must be protected. That's a reason why we eat the bad guys. Consider it a human instinct. A child seeing you could fuck them up for the rest of their lives. We must avoid it."

 **THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH US, EDDIE.** He growled deeply.

"I agree, buddy. But they cannot be exposed to us when it isn't necessary. It's important, okay? Do you understand?"

Venom huffed petulantly inside of him. It was nearly visible under his shirt. Eddie could feel that he wasn't fused to the floor anymore, but he didn't budge.

"Tell me that you understand, V." He was demanding a lot out of his alien today. He was lucky this one liked him.

 **YOU ARE ANNOYING US TODAY, EDDIE.** Venom snarled back, but quickly relented as well. **WE UNDERSTAND.**

At that, Eddie spun around and made his way towards the silly, hopeless addiction of his friend, provided by the time-worn building with the beaming neon sign _Benny's Ice Cream Cone'anza_ hung above the double doors _._ There was a satisfied smile on his face he'd didn't attempt to hide. Ice Cream sounded pretty good now, actually. Hopefully his friend would want to share. He usually didn't though.

 _Another crisis avoided._ Eddie hoped.

His chest thrummed with what Eddie interuptted as a sort of childlish glee. The irritation already faded in his partner. Venom was a very simple creature sometimes, and he found it very endearing. He would never admit that. Venom was distracted enough that he didn't catch this thought.

 **MMM. WE LOVE THIS PLACE. IT'S NAME TOO. WE THINK IT'S FUNNY AND VERY CLEVER. IT'S A PUN.** He stated proudly.

"Yup." Eddie couldn't disagree more with Venom's taste in puns. His little goo strangely liked them very much, catching and repeating them in Eddie's head with a chuckle every time one graced him. He learned about them watching late night sitcoms with the human. It was one of the first things Venom understood about human humor, and he also enjoyed it. On the other hand, Eddie always hated puns, especially terrible ones like this one. He let Vemon enjoy them for himself though, happy that he had a sense of humor at all. He rolled his eyes.

That gesture didn't fly under the radar. **WHAT?**

"Nothing, sweetheart. So what is your poison today?"

 **YES.** He exclaimed, **YOU KNOW WHAT WE WANT.**

He chuckled as they crossed the street, and walked inside.

Eddie was proud to say that they were totally well behaved in line. The kids kicked their feet under their chairs, their sticky faces spelling bliss while parents attempted to clean them up. Others ran around the quirky diner-like setting, absolutely hopped up on their sugar highs, and the teenage couple ahead of them kissed sweetly (if not awkwardly) before they ordered. Once it was Eddie's turn, the employee worked up a smile at him. He was middle-aged, like Brock, and he seemed to be embarassed of himself, trying to hide his cheesy uniform behind the counter, still, he couldn't hide the propeller hat on his head. It spelled out _Benny's!_ in a ridiculous, embroidered design.

This guy always self-conscious when Eddie walked in, but Eddie wasn't judging him. He politely told him his order while Venom excitely yipped in his ear.

Three scoops of Triple Brownie Deluxe on a massive dark chocolate dipped cone. It was littered with small pieces of yummy baked pastry and sprinkles. Seven-teen dollars but well worth. It admittedly looked very good. He realized he was salivating profusely in his mouth, but he knew that wasn't him. Venom could hardly contain himself and was making him drool. He sat down in a uncomfortable table in the back.

 **UNDER YOUR JACKET EDDIE. QUICKLY.** Venom was literally vibrating at this point.

"Aw. Don't I at least get a bite?" he teased, lifting the delicious, creamy cone higher.

 **ONE. BITE.**

Eddie did and regretted it. It melted in his mouth decadidantly, bathing his taste buds with ecstasy. It was honestly _very_ delicious. He also personally loved ice cream, and this was the good stuff. However, with a small sadness, he made a promise, and surrended it under his jacket after taking a look around.

The moment the cone reached the shelter of his leather jacket (barely fitting inside without smearing it all over his clothes, it was gone. In a split second, Venom's black ooze emerged from his hand around the cone, forming his familiar face and head around his wrist. He jaw grew bigger until his giant, terrifying mouth was gaping open, teeth gleaming with frothy saliva. He closed his maw around the ice cream, consuming it in one bite around Eddie's fist. There was no pain, and it was gone like he never even had it. Venom liked his chops and glanced into Eddie's eyes with his own milky ones, something close to affection in them.

"Why are you hiding your ice cream?"

Eddie jerked up to his a small boy, about eight or nine, staring at him strangely. He was wearing the same propeller hat as the guy at the register. He had a unopened Fatboy in his hand.

"Uh- Uhhhh," Eddie panicked and struggled to come up with a response. He could only make up a lame one for this ridiculous act he seemed to doing. "I'm just hiding it from the sun so it doesn't melt. I got this for a friend and they are on their way. It's a surprise."

He stared at the kid anxiously. The kid stared back, very dubiously.

"But there is no sunshine in this corner, and it's probably hotter under your jacket, right?" Eddie made no move to his hand out from under his jacket, now that the ice cream had disappeared and he couldn't explain that. The boy shifted uncomfortably.

"That's a good point, kid. You're smart. I think I'll just meet him halfway so it doesn't melt." He stood up quickly and began his way towards the front door, brandishing a non-existant ice cream all the way.

"Wait!" the boy called after him. Eddie cringed. He didn't want to turn around. He needed to leave. Hopefully leave and never come back.

 **NO, EDDIE. I LOVE THIS PLACE.**

He ignored that, and hestitantly turned around. He just wanted the kid to buy the lie and leave him alone.

To his utter surprise, the child was holding out his ice cream sandwich to him. He was offering it. He blinked at him.

"You should just eat the cone on the way! You can give this to your friend instead!" He grinned at Brock, the innocence radiating off of him. It pained Eddie. A few people around the shop were staring at them strangely now, and even Eddie didn't know how to feel.

"Don't you want it?" asked Eddie.

"My dad owns this place, I get plenty. I can get another one for free. My dad doesn't like me giving away free ice cream, but it makes me feel good. Just don't tell him, okay?" the boy actually winked at him.

"Huh," Eddie half chuckled. The fastest way to end this conversation was to just take it, he understood. It was all very strange, still, he felt touched at this kid's naive kindess. He accepted the Fatboy. He was relieved when nothing happened as he reached out.

"What's your name?" Eddie asked.

"Markus Petersen." he exclaimed with a slight lispe, "What's yours?"

"Eddie Brock. Nice to meet you kid. Your secret is safe with me." He winked back.

The boy grinned widely. "Yup. I'm here a lot and very bored! If you want to hang out just find me."

"You're parents tell you to be careful with strangers, right?"

"Yes. You seem nice, though."

Eddie smiled back. "Thanks Mark. I'll see you soon, huh?" The boy nodded appreciatively, and Eddie quickly made his exit. Once out of eyesight of the shop, he pulled his hand from his jacket, sighing in relief.

"Fuck." was all he said.

 **THE CHILD GAVE US ICE CREAM. CAN WE HAVE THAT TOO?** Venom was already eagerly occupying the hand that was clutching the sandwich. **HE GAVE IT TO US.**

Hidden under plain sight of the cround, Eddie unwrapped the sandwich and pressed it under his jacket as well. Venom enjoyed that too.

 **WISH IT HAD MORE CHOCOLATE.**

"You got your fill. That kid was very nice, wasn't he?"

Venom seemed puzzled by the question. **SEEMED MORE STUPID THAN ANYTHING.**

"No, V," he retorted yet couldn't help laughing, "not stupid. He's young. And he was nice. That genorosity is hard to find in this city. It's refreshing." Eddie huffed. "Hopefully the genorosity sticks with him, considering how much his dad is charging for the shit."

They continued to his interview in silence. They checked the time. Eddie planned to be a little earlier than he would be now, but he wasn't worried about it. He felt very good after that, and so did Venom. This made for better interviews.

 **YOU'RE SUCH A LOSER, EDDIE.** Venom cut into his thoughts. **WHY DID THAT CHILD AFFECT YOU SO MUCH?**

He felt the pressure in his chest and scratched there, as if he was scratching the symbiote himself. "He liked us, didn't he? That makes me happy, just like your ice cream." And with a knowing smile, he added, "And think about it V. Like he said, his dad owned the place. Maybe we can get more free ice cream if we play our cards right."

Venom thrummed and seemed to ponder this for a moment. He purred. **YES. GOOD EDDIE. VERY SMART. MAYBE WE LIKE HIM TOO.**

"Good boy. At least _I_ can actually appreciate something..."

 **...THANK YOU FOR ICE CREAM, EDDIE.**

"Thank _you_ , you big baby. I'm proud of you."

Venom always made an effort to not respond to praise. He was too prideful to care, he supposed. Eddie did feel the quiver of happiness in him, however.

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 _A/N:_ Hope that was a fun read! It's been years since I posted a fanfic and I'm happy to contribute again. Let me know what you think, and if I got anything explicitly wrong with this story! I'm not sure I'll post another. These things happen naturally, unless you guys would really like something more.

~ModestDragon


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